Nestlé is leaving an alliance founded two years ago aimed at curbing methane emissions from the dairy industry.
The Dairy Methane Action Alliance was established in 2023 by the Environmental Defense Fund. Nestlé joined as a founding member alongside Danone, General Mills, Kraft Heinz and Parmalat maker Lactalis USA.
The Nespresso and Lean Cuisine maker said its decision to leave the group came as part of a regular review of the company’s membership in external organizations.
“As part of this process, we have decided to discontinue our membership of the Dairy Methane Action Alliance,” a Nestlé spokesperson said in an email. “We appreciate the Alliance's ongoing work on methane emissions reductions in the dairy industry.”
While Nestlé doesn’t specifically highlight methane emissions from dairy, the food giant noted that its greenhouse gas emissions fell nearly 21% in 2024 compared to six years earlier. In 2023, the Switzerland-based company committed to halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050, even as its business continues to grow.
“Nestlé remains steadfast in delivering against the objectives in our Dairy Climate Plan and Net Zero Roadmap,” the spokesperson said. “These strategies continue to guide our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, throughout our supply chain.”
Even as food companies around the world face pressure to reduce their environmental footprint, some are struggling to meet their sustainability commitments due partly to growing demand for products and regulatory challenges. Sprawling supply chains also leave companies heavily dependent on suppliers and other firms to lower total emissions.
In May, PepsiCo said it was becoming more “pragmatic” around its climate investments, sunsetting a goal to reduce total emissions more than 40% by 2030. It also ditched some targets to reduce packaging waste, while expanding goals around regenerative agriculture.
Other large companies — including Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Mars and Unilever — have also said they likely wouldn’t meet certain packaging sustainability goals.
